Six Days of the Caldera – and the Valley of Geysers.

Onward – along Route 264. Ahead lie difficulties and hardships, raptures and amazements, volcanisms and bubbling-springisms. In short, what we were here for – what we love!…

And it all started here:

This is the estuary of the Semyachik river – a few kilometers from the tiny settlement of Zhupanovo (so tiny it’s not even on the Google map: somewhere here; oh – it is on Yandex Maps though) on the Pacific coast:

We landed the chopper here:

It was here where we met up with our guides the inspectors of the Kronotsky National Park who were to accompany us on our trek here. Introducing – Maxim and Tatiana! ->

Now – you recall what I reckon could be the world’s most remote hotel? Well this is something similar. There are no roads connecting it to anywhere at all, and the nearest village is more than a hundred kilometers away across impassable prostrate shrub and assorted volcanisms. Still – perfect for those seeing solitude, seclusion and meditativeness ->

And up close ->

As per – simple basics: what we’re used to )…

We arrived here on our second day in Kamchatka and were still suffering somewhat from the +9-hour time-difference jetlag. Accordingly – we were taking it easy at first.

Guess who:

DZ making imperial-sartorial use of whatever he could find lying around ->

Not far at all – the Pacific:

Yikes (guess whose!) ->

No more guessing:

Eventually we set off – to the Valley of Geysers along Route 264. Day one: six or seven kilometers along a sand bank, then another six or seven across greenery to the Nizhne-Semyachinsky hot springs where we were to spend the night…

The overall route: up to the Uzon caldera, and then back down through the Valley of Geysers:

But those red arrows representing the “route” are somewhat deceiving. Those are the general directions; the reality of bends and twists and constant detours to the left or right make the distances considerably longer:

First we need to get ourselves to the sandbank across the water ->

So it was into the dinghy and off we popped…

…As the seals looked on – seemingly with curiosity:

We make it to the other side – a spot where all kinds of objects (mostly logs) are washed up aplenty ->

The starting line-up:

And we’re off!

That’s where we’re headed – Kamchatkan Hansel and Gretel style (just keep following the breadcrumbs bear prints!)…

…Or perhaps not – for he or she took a left. Onward we marched, noticing that other bears would gaze in our direction now and again, but then turn away…

…But just in case ->

A brief rest at the end of the beach…

And then it was our turn to take a left and head inland ->

The going was pleasantly easy ->

The only downside – it was too hot and humid, and the mosquitos were murderous ->

A look back – and we were amazed at how far we’d come ->

Our first overnight stay – the Nizhne-Semyachinsky hot springs. America’s Google Maps is aware of them; Russia’s Yandex Maps isn’t. EH?! :)

And from the drone ->

It feels like the place is rated 0-stars, but the hot springs make up for that ->

The mosquitos continue to spoil the meditativity ->

A Japanese spade (no doubt washed ashore and then brought here)!->

A few photos of our camp ->

It was here where the SUTLABR principle was first tried and tested – successfully. SUTLABR standing for “Shelter Up, Table Laid, And Buffet Ready”! That is – the heavy lifting of kit and food and what-have-you was done by the helicopter, while we had just light backpacks when trekking. We arrive – and everything’s set up and ready! Now that’s what I call Kamchatka glamping! ->

The SUTLABR was, of course, the work of the one and only Ludmila – our favorite (and only!) chef since… 2006!

But maybe I jinxed the SUTLABR by relishing it so much, for the next few days we were to go without helicopter support – eating only the instant noodles we’d taken with us. Bad weather was expected – which ruled out using the chopper (.

Next morning, we were up early – daunted somewhat by the tough day ahead: just 18 kilometers of trekking were planned – but they included an increase in altitude of nearly a thousand meters, and we had heavy rucksacks on given the chopper couldn’t fly – plus, let’s face it, we’re no spring chickens )…

Still – at least the views promised to be sensational ->

In the above pic – the fumarole fields of the Burlyashy volcano. We were also to pass Bolshoy Semyachik volcano with its gothic forms up top:

Up ahead – another volcano, which goes by the extraordinary name of… Taunshits! ->

I realize that in English Town Shits Taunshits is comically jarring, but some in our group reckoned the vulgar odd name sounded German. Germans – out here?! Surely not? Indeed – a red herring (with mashed potato and sauerkraut, surely?!). Taunshits actually comes from the old Itelmen for “mountain on the shoulder” (if the internet is to be believed). However, it turns out there really is a Deutsche connection: the volcano was given its name by the Baltic German geologist and explorer Karl von Ditmar!

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Rewind back to early morning…

Up, breakfast, rucksacks, off!…

First up – seven kilometers through forest ->

Up and up we go, the forest becomes tundra and slag bald patches…

The weather worsened, bringing visibility/medativity down to near zero…

This stream we had to cross is called Kisly – Acidic – and not for nothing: though drinkable, it does indeed taste acidic! ->

A rare stop for a rest:

The next stream, “First Stream” (there’s also a Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Stream) wasn’t for drinking, we were told. Not that we wanted to drink from it – it was too chemically-gray…

This stream’s main feature – its volcanic water was warm! Off came the boots for refreshing multiple crossings ->

In places the streams could be jumped across…

In others, the ladies piggybacked across:

Up on a mountain pass – the dreaded milkiness descends ->

Stone pyramids like this one mark the mountain pass:

After the mountain pass we descend toward the Burlyashy fumarole fields ->

Alas – the weather marred some 80% of the potential views, feelings, impressions and meditativeness (…

The main fumarole field:

This is what things look like in fine weather (pic taken on the way back from the helicopter) ->

Everything bubbling – but we couldn’t get up close this time ->

Assorted pics:

Onward – to our overnight-stay spot…

And there it is! ->

Yes, this is where we were staying the night: a pod elevated on stilts (so it doesn’t get submerged under snow in winter). The steps are retractable once you’re inside – so bears can’t climb up for a closer look! Well – I don’t think I’d stayed in a bear-proof pod-on-stilts before. That changed this night!

Inside – basic! ->

Petrovich guarding our supper: instant noodles! ->

That serial number makes you wonder just how many of these pods were manufactured!

While the noodles were being prepared, I took a look outside again – hopeful that maybe the milk-fog had lifted. It hadn’t; grrrrr ->

Despondently looking down – I’m cheered somewhat by… the ants here: making their anthill in the volcanic slag. Well done guys – “never give up”, “lemonade with lemons”, and… “back to work!” Respect!

The third day of our Route-264 trek to the Valley of Geysers was a relatively easy one in terms of the walking – covering just eight kilometers. Alas – the weather once again spoiled our planned medativity: the milkiness had remained ->

What we could see was beautiful – just a shame it was only the lower sliver of the full picture ->

Snow! In July! At an altitude of just 1000 meters and on the same latitude as the north of England and Quebec! ->

Added to the bad weather were bad “roads”. Grrrrrr ->

For our break we find a sheltered spot:

Siberian dwarf pine: beautiful – if you don’t have to wade through it ->

The butterflies like it too ->

Onward – through the fog and gloom. With another not-so-cozy overnight stay – plus only noodles for dinner – our moods were gloomier than the weather. But then… no – surely not… yes – it’s true! We suddenly see our helicopter! It had made it through the fog! Hurray! This meant SUTLABR (“Shelter Up, Table Laid, And Buffet Ready”) was back on track! Hurray!

Not just the single “Shelter Up” either – another small yet oh-so crucial shelter had been erected too! ->

A last – cold – river needed crossing first. But we hardly noticed the cold – we now had SUTLABR to look forward to…

SUTLABR in full effect! ->

Our overnight stay was a comfortable one – with plenty of calories, and a relaxed, touristy vibe (not a survival-test one:)…

Next morning, up and off – heading toward the Uzon caldera and the Glukhoy (Deaf!) camp – here, and here ->

It turned out to be yet another day of bad weather, but it at least it was the last (bad-weather day) on our Valley of Geysers trek…

The fog did lift a little…

The walk to Uzon is an easy one ->

Finally, the colossal caldera (alas – under clouds) ->

Good news – the chopper’s in action again!->

This was a wide one:

…But it was worth it ->

Wow. And I thought the world’s most remote hotel was secluded; this surely is even more so! There’s nothing about it on the internet and it’s hardly visible on online maps; still – it was straightforward to get to…

Petrovich was pleased with the lodgings too ->

Sure, they were looking at screens – but only to whittle down their photos. No internet here!

Satellite phone only!

All good. And another comfortable night…

The following morning, we knew the day ahead would be a great, lucky one when we found out that the helicopter would be choppering our kit onward to our next lodgings – hurray! SUTLABR on fire!…

On the menu today – the Uzon volcanisms: fumarole fields and hot springs unique in terms of the variety of underground volcanic outflows. Everything here boils, bubbles, hisses, plops, squelches, and stinks to high heaven of hydrogen sulfide. I’d been here before a few times already, but I never tire of coming back – I’m always amazed by this natural underground chemical plant. Another thing that’s great here – and unusual for Kamchatka – is the level of visitor infrastructure. There are elevated wooden paths, shelters, an observation tower, a few helicopter pads, souvenir shops, a café, and competent inspectors who show you around. Yes! ->

The volcanisms here come in all shapes and sizes and flavors and degrees of activeness. There are steadily bubbling chemical pools:

There are surreal, sprawling constructions:

…Some featuring their own geysers (like this one, which only appeared for the first time in 2008) ->

Tourists normally fly in by helicopter. It’s a rare beast that walks here. Yes – we are rare beasts )…

Keep to the path – and you’ll be fine. No off-piste-ing! ->

This lake – Bannoy Lake (Bannoy a derivative of Banya – Russian sauna) used to be swimmable – at least it was in the eighties. No more – too chemically:

Fresh, clean potable water in the streams? Looks like it; I wouldn’t risk it though – who knows what’s in there? ->

The full periodic table (which should be known internationally, as it is in Russia, as the Mendeleyev Table – since he invented it, but I digress…) resides, no doubt, in this field (notice zero vegetation around it) ->

This one had boiling water in it – in a nice shade of turquoise ->

Bubble, bubble, but no toil and no trouble…

Thermophiles (types of extremophiles!) – bacteria/fungi/archaea that thrive at high temperatures >

Assorted other algae also thriving – in this here chemical potion ->

This here looks like moss, but it’s not; it’s cyanobacteria – some of the earliest lifeforms on the planet (and, we all agreed, they’ll probably be among the last too, should our planet ever die!) ->

Uzon’s own geyser – Mutny ->

After the geyser erupts, the water drains down below into the underground chambers and channels, and in place of the geyser a hole is left. It then fills up again, the water starts to boil, and then comes the next eruption – and it goes on like that over and over ad infinitum…

Next up – the ever-bubbling Lake Chloride, whose name speaks for itself! ->

Despite the name – there’s still greenery! ->

A fumarole field of impressive size ->

The volcanic activity intensifies; apparently oil’s been found around here too ->

Mud volcanoes! Never heard of (or seen) such a thing? You have now!…

Judging by the footprints, it look like someone’s gone off-piste; rather them than me…

Upon closer inspection – the footprints are actually paw prints. The bears come here for restorative spas often, apparently ->

Bubbling mud pools ->

A man-made feature (a metal contraption left by volcanologists) ->

We approach the end of the route, by Figure-of-Eight Lake! ->

Done! Now back to the ranch…

As a bonus track, we checked out another volcanism toward evening – the lake maar called Dalny (formed by a hydrothermal explosion) ->

Unlike the chemical-laden volcanistic lakes – the maar is swimmable! ->

And that was that: a full, fascinating day of volcanism in the Uzon caldera. Time for dinner!…

Upon waking the following morning, the weather was just perfect – finally! So our leisurely walk up to Uzon caldera from the Glukhoy camp promised to be a pleasantly picturesque one ->

Over there was where we were headed ->

Yes – the weather was great; however…

The day before, Bezymianny volcano had emitted a huge tower of volcanic ash that had covered half of the peninsula. Although it was 170km from us, it still coated everything in sight with a light sprinkling of the said ash – here, for example, on my walking sticks:

And for the following several days the dust just kept on coming – most noticably onto our teeth. Never mind: we weren’t going to let that hold us back…

It was only five or seven kilometers to where we were headed – the Shumnaya (Noisy!) river; the going – easy ->

Here we saw our first Kamchatkan reindeer – alas, only at a distance:

Marshland:

Almost there – where tourists were already exiting their helicopters ->

No bridge; wading only ->

And here’s the Uzon Camp ->

We checked out the lakes, thermal fields and other Uzon volcanisms, then toward evening it was back to Glukhoy (yes – today’s hike was a there-and-backer) ->

Back at Glukhoy – up went the drone (and there’s Glukhoy down below) ->

Such a welcome rarity: wonderful weather! ->

There were clouds – but mostly only over the ocean in the distance:

Low-lying micro-clouds above Uzon ->

And that was that: another day in Kamchatkan paradise – done!…

The next day was the sixth and last day of our trek along and around the Valley of Geysers to Uzon caldera, with the weather as clement as the previous day – at least first thing in the morning…

From Glukhoy to the Valley it’s around 10-12km. The first five or six of those kilometers are plain sailing – even a little boring: in a straight line and with just a slight increase in altitude. After 90 minutes we were half-way at a mountain pass…

The rock pile marks the way (Route 264) ->

Down we go into the Valley of Geysers – with some inhospitable clouds hanging over it:

Same place (the Valley of Geysers), different view (from the helicopter) ->

Almost there…

Unlike the first, the second half of the route was tricky: loose stone underfoot, dense shrubbery, and even a stream invisible to the eye through said dense shrubbery before you found your calves submerged in it!…

Up ahead – the buildings of the hotel:

We arrive! The views – steamingly good! ->

The Bolshoy (Big) geyser, and another not shown on the maps (probably since it’s not visible from the regular tourist paths (we were on an “exclusive” path!)) ->

Here the river is gradually flushing through the debris left from a landslide back in 2007 (details – here); soon, maybe even the geysers that were covered will open up again ->

Time to wade across the river:

The water’s pleasantly warm! ->

These are the geysers that have reemerged since the landslide ->

Meanwhile the Bolshoy geyser is starting to bubble and smoke profusely – readying itself for its next eruption…

…Which we patiently wait for:

Here we go! ->

Another geyser nearby also kicking off ->

Time to be heading back up to the hotel…

Thankfully it’s not far…

From the drone, in the distance – to the left and in the middle is the Uzon caldera. Right in the middle is Route 264 along the bottom of that narrow valley ->

That’s where we descended down into the valley that morning:

And that was that; our Valley-of-Geysers-and-Uzon-caldera six-day trek – done. Hope you liked!

The rest of the photos from our Kamchatka-2024 trip are here.